Implications of a Dynamic Datum on the Cadastre

The problem

Having accurate property boundary data underpins the ability of Australian land agencies to protect people’s land rights and titles.

As more information aligns with property boundaries (think utility and environmental data) being certain that information is in its proper location is imperative. This means you want to be sure that where your GPS says you are, matches where the data says you should be!

Australia’s tectonic plate is moving 7 cm in a north-eastern direction every year. To correct for this movement Australia is introducing a new dynamic (ATRF) datum.

Cadastral authorities throughout Australia need to know how a dynamic datum will impact the acquisition, management and dissemination of cadastral data, and what tasks, tools and procedures will be needed to ensure the adoption is as smooth and painless as possible.

Mercury’s contribution

The project objectives were:

Document how the cadastre in NSW will be affected by the adoption of a dynamic datum.

Establish and prioritise what tasks need to be undertaken to transition the cadastre in NSW to the dynamic datum.

Identify what new procedures and tools will be required for the on-going management of the cadastre once the dynamic datum has been adopted.

Mercury addressed these objectives in three phases: impact assessment, implementation planning, and maintenance and coordination.

Each of these phases combined desk study and extensive stakeholder engagement in a combination of online surveys and questionnaires, workshops, one-on-one interviews and project briefings and presentations.